Chapter 8 - "Only Yours!"
*"Oh Jaana...yeh Maana...Tu Hai Mera Deewana...Tu kare jo ishara...chale auo yara main...chorake yeh zamana..."
Because today I want to say to everyone listening to this show right now..."I Rudra Singh Oberoi...Love you Soumya Tendulkar! I'm yours! If you'll have me!"
As Rudra's words filled the airways, Soumya simply listened in shock. Had Rudra just said his real name and said he loves her on air? Well he had said he loves Soumya Tendulkar, which no one knew was her! But well...SHE knew it and so did he! If anyone from their families or friends were listening they would too! Suddenly Soumya realised...Rudra really had taken a leap. She suddenly became aware that she was listening to dead air, so she quickly spoke up.
"Amar...I mean Rudra...you do realise what you just did right?" she asked slowly.
"Yes Love Angle...I do!" said Rudra gravely.
"You just used your real name...I mean your full name and said you love this girl..." Soumya trailed off as Rudra interjected.
"Soumya Tendulkar!" he said helpfully.
"Yes...Sou...Soumya Tendulkar" she said quickly.
"I said I love Soumya Tendulkar, because I do!"
"But you do realise ke aapne kitana bada risk liya hai? I mean...iss waqt koi bhi apko sun raha hoga? Koi bhi...anyone, and you have no control over it? You do realise that right?"
"Yes I do realise it. I said it because it's true, and I have nothing to hide!"
"Are you sure of that? I mean...judging by your name, what you have just said may be of interest to the media..." Said Soumya tentatively. As she spoke, the enormity of what Rudra had done started to sink in even further and she experienced a moment of pure panic.
"Aap...ko daar nahi lagtha Rudra?" she asked softly, almost to herself not necessarily to him.
"Nahi Sou...Love Angle. Muje daar nahi lagtha. Because cliched as it sounds, "Pyaar kiya toh darna kya?" Rudra laughed for a second. "You know I used to laugh at such cheesy lines. I used to think people were crazy for even saying them! But now I realise...it was ALL true. Pyaar ek aise junoon hai...jo hamse kuch bhi karawa saktai hai! Like I said before...I have nothing to hide and nothing to fear! Media can say anything they want...anyone can say anything they want. Main ne zindagi main peheli baar kisise pyaar kiya hai...aur muje yeh kehene sai koi daar nahi!" said Rudra his voice full of conviction. "My objective was to let the girl I love know...that she can risk her heart with me. I am for real! And I can't think of a better way to make her realise this, than showing her how I have no fear or hesitation in admitting my feelings, even if it's on air!" said Rudra in a serious tone.
"I think...your message has been received loud and clear now. You can't be clearer than this!" said Soumya in equally serious tone.
"So do you think...she will accept my feelings now?" asked Rudra.
Soumya could not help the small smile that touched her lips. Trust him to come back on point. "I guess Rudra...aka Amar Prem...you will just have to wait and see!" she said.
"Yeah...I guess I do!" said Rudra with a smile of his own. "Good Night Love Angle!"
"Good Night Amar Prem!" she said with a small laugh, as he signed off. "Ok everyone. I am afraid our segment is almost at an end now. I will take one more call before we wrap up the show! Ok, who's on the line there? Nidhi? Yes great, how can I help you?" said Soumya as she took her next call.
Rudra listened to the next call and then Soumya's show ended. He took his laptop and headphone and went to Om's room. After leaving them there, he went to the dining room to have dinner.
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Soumya finished her show and left the studio. In the wake of Rudra's on air confession, she knew she had to make a decision about their future. The fact was, she had already made it as soon as Rudra had uttered those words. She knew she could never doubt he was serious now. Rudra had taken a huge risk saying on air that he loved her and that too using his real name and hers. There was no hiding from it now. She knew she had to talk to Riyaan. She had called him to meet her after her show anyway. She had wanted to tell him that their engagement was not a good idea and it's not something she was ready for.
But given what had just happened, she knew she had to end things with Riyaan tonight. There was no way she could let things carry on the way it was any further. She could not string Riyaan along when she knew she had feelings for Rudra. Yes, Riyaan was the safe choice, but Love was a leap, and suddenly she was inspired enough to jump. Rudra and his sheer guts had inspired her. She had guarded her heart enough. It was time to let go! She was going to risk her heart, and she would live with the consequences. Because sometimes, taking a chance may lead to heartache, and sometimes, not doing so did.
Soumya went out and got a cab and went to a cafe nearby where she had agreed to meet Riyaan. He was waiting for her. He greeted her with a hug and they ordered coffee and started to chat. Soumya got to the point.
"Riyaan...there is no easy way to say this, so I will get right to the point!"
"What is it Soumya?" asked Riyaan looking at her.
"I can't marry you!" Soumya said directly meeting Riyaan's eyes. "I'm sorry. I don't think we are right for each other. Finally today, I got the courage to say what I should have said weeks ago. In fact, after you came back into my life!" said Soumya gravely.
"Soumya..." said Riyaan his eyes sad. "You don't love me? Is that the problem?"
"Yes Riyaan...I don't! Aur muje yeh bohont pehele batha dena chaiye tha. I'm sorry!"
"It's Rudra isn't it?" asked Riyaan astutley meeting her eyes.
Soumya looked at him for a second, then looked away and taking a deep breath she met his eyes squarely. It was time to be brave. "Yes...it is! I won't pretend I don't have feelings for him. Because I do. I won't insult your intelligence or our friendship by lying to you. But the truth is Riyaan...even if Rudra was not in the picture, we are still not right for each other! You should spend your life with someone that you can't live without, not someone you can live with!"
"Aur wo main nahi hu right?" said Riyaan with a shake of his head. Soumya met his eyes her expression sad and tearful. She reached out and held his hand.
"I'm so sorry Riyaan...but it's true...wo aap nahi hai!" she slowly extricated her hand from him and slipped the ring off her finger and handed it back to Riyaan. "I'm sorry!" she whispered as Riyaan took the ring and closed his fist over it.
"I'm sorry too!" he said looking at Soumya. "Rudra is a lucky guy!"
Soumya gave him a teary smile. "The truth is Soumya...I am the one who messed things up between us the first time. It was never the same when we met again. Yes, I still liked you a lot. But I always felt a hesitation from your side. Like there was some barrier between us which had not been there last time. Now I know what it was. It was Rudra all along!" he said gravely.
"Riyaan...please believe me. I never meant to lead you on. I never thought I would feel this way about Rudra. In fact, at the start, I didn't even like him!" said Soumya with a shake of her head.
"Jo nafrat se shuru hotai hai...wohi toh pyaar ban jatai hai right? All the great love stories started with friction! Shayad tum aur Rudra bhi aisa hi ho?"
"Riyaan...your so good. So nice! I'm sorry if I hurt you!"
"Yes you did hurt me Soumya. I won't pretend it doesn't hurt. But if you had kept this engagement going, it would have hurt me even more. So thank you. Thank you for being honest with me!"
"Riyaan..." she said tentatively. "Can we please still be friends?"
"Of course Soumya! We were friends before, and we will stay friends. But of course...Rudra might not like it!" said Riyaan with a small laugh. "He is very possessive of you!"
"I can handle Rudra!" said Soumya with a laugh. "He doesn't run my life!"
"Soumya...always the feminist!" said Riyaan with a smile, gesturing to the waiter for their bill.
"Always!" said Soumya with conviction. Soon they were heading off from the cafe and Riyaan dropped her off to Oberoi mansion. She waived at him and turned away with a sigh as he drove off. That was probably the last time he would be dropping her here. She regretted causing him hurt. But like he said, if she had continued with this engagement, it would have hurt him more.
She turned around and looked at the entrance of the Oberoi Mansion. Who would have thought when she had come to live here 6 months ago, that this would happen? That she would fall for Rudra Singh Oberoi, youngest son of the Oberoi Empire...Playboy and guy about town? She shook her head. How much had changed since that first day she had come here and seen Rudra again? Destiny had brought her here, and brought her close to Rudra. Her past had just driven away. It was time to embrace her future.
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Soumya walked into the house and looked around. It was around 9pm and no one seemed to be in the dining room or hall. Looked like everyone was in their rooms. She wondered if Rudra was in, or had he gone somewhere? She had not spoken to him or messaged him since the radio segment and neither had he contacted her. As she climbed the steps to her room, suddenly Soumya felt nervous. She opened the door to her room almost as if expecting to see Rudra there. But the room was empty. She sighed. She realised in that moment how much her eyes had been craving for a glimpse of Rudra.
Maybe he was out? She set down her things on the couch and after freshening up a bit, went out of her room. She thought maybe Priyanka was around? Suddenly a thought occurred to her that maybe Priyanka had listened to the show? "Oh No"...she thought as she walked past Om's room, not even paying any attention to her surroundings. Suddenly she felt a tug on her hand and she was pulled into Om's room, and the door was closed. Before she knew it, she had her back to the wall and Rudra was standing in front of her. His hand covering her mouth to stop her from making any noise.
"Shhh..." Said Rudra softly, as he lifted his hand off her mouth.
"Rudra..." She whispered looking into his eyes.
"Ha...Rudra...You weren't expecting anyone else were you?" he asked his brows raising.
"I thought you were out!" she murmured softly.
"What took you so long?" he asked.
"I...I had something I had to do!" she said tentatively.
"Like what?"
"It's not important. What's important is now I'm totally free!" said Soumya looking into his eyes, as she slowly lifted her left hand and showed Rudra her ring-less finger. Rudra looked at her hand for a moment, and the implication sank in. He caught her hand in his looking down at her fingers minus her engagement ring.
"That's good to know!" said Rudra looking back at her with a small smile. "Isn't there something you need to tell me?" he asked.
"Like what?" said Soumya with a lift of her brows.
"So you want to play that game ha?" said Rudra moving closer to her.
"I don't want to play ANY game! All games are over!" said that Soumya as she moved away from the wall and threw her arms around his neck hugging him.
"I've broken all my old ties. Broken all my old rules. Aur aab main sirf tumhari hu Rudra! I'm yours!" she whispered in his ear as her fingers buried themselves in his hair.
Rudra's arms went around her as he pulled her closer to him.
"Only mine?" he whispered back as she clung to him.
"Only yours!" she whispered back. "If you'll have me!" she said, repeating the same line he had told her when he called into her show.
At that, Rudra moved her slightly away from him to look into her eyes. "Oh I most certainly will have you!" said Rudra as he brushed his lips over her cheek and then lifted his head and looked down at her. The expression in his eyes making Soumya's face flame.
"So you believe me now? You believe I'm for real?" he asked, looking at her intently.
Soumya looked at Rudra, braving her shyness."I would be a fool not to believe you after what you did! What you said!" whispered Soumya, looking at Rudra with her heart in her eyes. "I love you...Rudra!" she said softly.
Rudra gave her a slow smile that made her heart pound even faster. "And I love you Sumo!" he said softly. "Tell me again!" he said and at that Soumya smiled back at him.
"I love you Rudra Singh Oberoi! But did anyone ever tell you, you talk too much?" whispered Soumya as she pulled his head down and covered his lips with hers. For a moment Rudra was taken aback, and then he pulled her closer as he kissed her back. Soumya was clinging to Rudra kissing him back with all the feelings overwhelming her, her fingers fisting in his hair. Rudra's hands were running over Soumya's curves as he too kissed her back with equal fervour. It was like they were finally free to express their feelings to each other openly. They broke apart as they ran out of breath.
"Wow!" said Soumya softly as she looked at Rudra, blushing furiously.
"Wow indeed!" said Rudra with a smirk as he bent his head to capture her lips again.
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"Rudra?" a voice said from the doorway and both Soumya and Rudra froze on the spot. Om walked further into the room and looked at them squarely.
"O...I can explain!" said Rudra as he stepped away from Soumya.
"You...outside...now" said Om gesturing with his head to Rudra. Soumya who had been silent till then spoke up.
"Bhaiyya...it's OK. I will go. It's your room!" said Somya, her face aflame. "Excuse me", she said as she walked out of the room without glancing at Rudra.
"Soumya..." Protested Rudra, taking a step towards her as she walked away, but Om gave Rudra a cold stare which made him stop in his tracks.
Just as Soumya walked out of the room, Rudra balled his fists and closed his eyes in frustration. What was Soumya going to do now? She had looked upset and he could not even go after her because O had got the wrong end of the stick and in this mood, he would not relent until he got the answers he wanted.
"Kuch nahi O...there is nothing going on!" Aisa kaha ta na? Yeh tumari kuch nahi hai Rudra?
"O..." he started to say, when Om indicated for him to stop.
"Rudra..." He said in a quiet but serious tone, attempting to keep his anger in check. "I asked you a week ago what was going on between you and Soumya, because I could clearly see something was. Something had changed between you since your costume party. But what did you say? "Nothing...there is nothing!" I accepted your explanation. I trusted you. But clearly you were lying to me!"
"O...you don't understand it's not that simple!"
"Isn't it? If something is going on between you, why couldn't you just say so?" said Om. "Yes I don't approve, because Soumya is a guest in our house. But I like her, and I don't want to see Dadi's friendship with her grandmother get messed up because of this. Because let's face it. Dadi would be angry as hell if she found out. She told you when Soumya came to stay here that you need to stay away from her. Lekin tum? Tum ne use bhi nahi chora? I thought she was not your type? So what was that I just saw? From where I was standing, it looked like you were fully into her? So what's changed? Or have you finally decided to break free from your type and explore "other options?" asked Om with a shake of his head.
"Other options?" said Rudra, his eyes flying to Om's.
"Yes you know? What you playboy types say? Try something new? If THAT is what you're trying to do here, then let me stop you where you are. This is not some game. Soumya is not any girl, and you can't just play with her feelings and walk off. It will have serious consequences. So if this is you amusing yourself with a girl who's not your type, then please desist immediately before more damage is done!" said Om his voice low with anger.
Rudra simply started at Om, not able to really voice what he was feeling. He could not believe that even O thought this was all some amusement to him.
"Really O? Is THAT what think this is? Me exploring other options? You really think I would jeopardise Dadi's friendship with Soumya's grandmother so I can have some meaningless fling?" asked Rudra angrily.
"Since to date, all your relationships with girls have been meaningless flings, I didn't know how to distinguish this from those!" said Om testily. "If I have formed an opinion about you on this subject, you only have yourself to blame Rudra!"
Rudra sighed. "Fine...logic...I can see where you're coming from!" said Rudra. "But O...I can assure you, this is different. Soumya is special!" he said, his voice softening.
Om took in the expression on his brother's face and his eyes widened. Rudra's whole face had transformed when he said that one word "Soumya". If he had not seen that expression with his own eyes, he would not have believed it. How his voice had dropped a few syllables? That was even more telling. If he saw this reaction from anyone else, he would have said they were in love. Om shook his head for a second. It seemed his brother had it bad. Because to be honest...in all these years, he had hardly seen Rudra trying to kiss a girl in their house. Actually, he had never seen it. He used to reserve all those behaviour to clubs or other locations. But here, in HIS room, where anyone could have walked in at any time, Rudra was trying to kiss Soumya.
"If it's not a passing fancy, then is it serious?" asked Om quietly.
"I have never been more serious in my life O! I love her!" said Rudra in an equally quite voice.
"If that's the case, then I will support you all the way. But Rudra...how are you sure it's love?" asked Om.
Rudra laughed. "Asks the man who's never been in love!"
"What do you mean? I've had girlfriends. I mean Ridhima and I..." Om was saying when Rudra stopped him.
"Aap ne kabhi Rhidima se pyaar nahi kiya O. Agar kar tha...toh abhi bhi wo aapki saath hoti!" said Rudra in a serious tone.
"She betrayed me Rudra. She lied to me and helped Mr Oberoi get my signature on those property papers!" said Om in righteous anger.
"Yes she betrayed you. She helped Dad, she lied. But if you really loved her, you would have forgiven her O! Isi ko to pyar kehetai hai. The way Mom loves Dad. That is love. If she didn't love him, she could never have forgiven him for Svetlana. If Mom apne pyaar ke liye wo kar sakthi hai...then you could have done the same for Ridhima if you had really loved her. You were just dependent on her O. She helped you when you were recovering from drugs and she just became a habit for you. That is not love. I'm new to this emotion, but trust me, what you felt for her was not love. One day, when it happens to you, you WILL know. Then you won't ask me that question "are you sure it's love?"
"Looks like it IS love then?" said Om with a small smile, looking at his brother and feeling almost like he had never seen him before. Underneath that crazy outspoken devil may care Rudra, there had always the guy he was looking at now. Fact is, he had always known there was a lot more to his brother. But Rudra always kept it all under wraps and only showed the world what they expected to see. That is the reason he ended up surprising people, because he would suddenly reveal something that no one thought to see from him.
"So it is serious enough for marriage? I know you guys are too young for that...but if this is the real thing, then I guess that's where it would end right?" asked Om.
Rudra closed his eyes at the irony. "I don't think you need to worry about this ending in marriage O!" said Rudra.
"What do you mean? You don't want to get married?"
"Says my brother who asked a girl to live with him?" said Rudra with a raise of his browse. "Since when are you so conservative O?"
"It's not about being conservative Rudra, but this is Soumya. I mean even Dadi would never let you guys..." He trailed off when Rudra stopped him. "I'm sure she'll bring up marriage if you guys are serious about each other".
"I guess she will. But the problem is...you can't get married, if your already married!" said Rudra quietly and waited a few minutes for the information to sink in. "wait for it!" he told himself as suddenly Om's eyes flew wide and he looked at him in shock.
"WHAT did you say?" asked Om with his voice filled with shock.
"Married!" said Rudra with a smile. "You're looking at a married man O! Rudra Singh Oberoi is off the market!" he said
"Fhut the Whuk?" said Om shaking his head. "Rudra...how the hell did this happen? You guys eloped? Are you insane? I know you're in love...but this? How can you do such a thing? Kisi ko bathaye bina? Muje bhi nahin? Aapne baade bhai ko?" asked Om and Rudra could see laced with a shock was a degree of hurt.
"O...I'll explain how it happened. But you need to promise to hear me out and not blow your top!" he said quietly.
"Why would I blow my top?" asked Om in confusion.
"Wait till I tell you what happened, then you can decide!" said Rudra with a derisive smile and proceeded to explain the events that had led him and Soumya to end up getting married. As predicted Om was totally shocked. He sat down on the bed slowly as if needing some support.
"Rudra..." he said quietly. "Are you seriously going to tell our parents that you married Soumya under the influence, and expect them to take you guys seriously?" he asked looking at Rudra.
Rudra too sat down next to Om. "O...I know how it happened. But even while it did, a part of me knew it was real. The same applies to Soumya. There is something about it O. I just can't explain it. But however this happened, the way I feel about Soumya could never be more real. We can always get married again, this time in front of everyone. Maybe not right now, but whenever that happens, it won't be any more real than the first time!" said Rudra gravely.
Om started at his brother for a long moment. He felt like he had never met this Rudra. Love had really matured him. And it appeared he took this relationship and even this marriage very seriously. Who would have thought this was the guy who said the only relationship he would ever be in, is if he bought a Ship, and called it "Relation?" He could not believe this was that same Rudra.
"You know Rudra...if I had ever doubted that true love can change a person...well then today my doubt is cleared. Dadi would be so proud of you right now. You have proven you truly are an "Ishqbaaz!"
To be continued...
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*Lyrics derived from the song "O Jaana Na Jaana" - Movie "Jab Pyaar Kisi Se Hota Hai" - 1998
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Here we go part 8. It's a bit long. Hope you all liked it. In the next part, the day of reckoning will come for Rudra and Soumya. Wait and watch! J
Please leave comments and don't forget to like!
Mandy
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Next Part: Chapter 9 - "Rudra The Ishqbaaz!"
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